Trailer Project

[rallypanam]

Originally Posted by rallypanam

Damn, I ain't hardly had this thing for two days and the bling is already showing up.

And... They don't fit. D'oh. Vendor has been emailed.

[gcvt]

Aw geez

[jage]

It looks to me like the springs are just sitting on those aluminum bump stops, which is bad for a number of reasons- first off if they ever hit, it's bolt to bolt, second the springs are just flopping around, thus the limiting straps taking the place of a properly anchored spring. Third I guess even if you fixed the bolts you'd have metal on metal if you ever bottomed out. The whole thing just seems a lot like the understanding of suspension just stopped at the spring. Otherwise it's nice, but I think that design could use some work, and of course once you load it up those springs are probably going to be bottomed out anyway.

I'd swap those springs out for airbags, and if not that get some dana 30 parts from a coil Jeep (TJ, XJ, MJ) and basically use from the bumpstop to the coil bucket. At the very least add some soft bumpstops to one end and lose the other bolt head. Better yet, chop the one you're not using for the bumpstop to 1/4 it's height and put a spring clip on to hold the base.

Or you could give the whole thing to me- I have the airbags that I'm saving for my trailer build, but yours is much much nicer in every other way!

[REF]

Robb, nice project you've got there. I love our trailer I helped design and had built. While I don't know much about suspensions other than when they need a lot of money to get properly set up (thank you Quigley SMB's). I've got a 6500# solid axle under my trailer with leaf springs and shocks, pretty straight forward. I know nothing from nothing on that type of trailing arm suspension, and I certainly don't want to rain on your parade, but feel that Jage and others bring up a few good points. I'd find out what the original builders estimated final weight with his buildout was going to be, and then estimate yours, find out the rating of that spring/shock combo, see if it's burly enough, you'll be hauling some precious cargo. I too would look at that spring mount, if it bottoms out, you're metal on metal, might be as simple as adding a rubber bump stop on the frame. I've got some airbags I'm not using. Again, disclaimer-don't listen to me, I don't know jack and may be way off base. Also, not sure who you had those spacers made by, you prob already know of these guys....
http://wheeladapter.com
Good luck, looking forward to giving you some more unsolicited advice about stuff I know nothing about.......glad to be of service[emoji51]

[boywonder]

Originally Posted by E350

I am not an engineer, but the limit straps seem undersized and improperly placed. Personally, I would have put them right behind or in front of the coil.

Well, FWIW I am an engineer, and the angle of the shock is going to provide minimal damping, especially near the end of the stroke where the shock will be more horizontal. It may be the camera angle exaggerating things a bit. You may want to remove the spring and cycle the trailing arm up and down a few times to see how much usable shock travel you have, it doesn't look like much.



......that being said, I haul my motorcycles on a folding harbor freight trailer (that's at this point heavily modified); it doesn't have any shocks, just leaf springs....$239 with a coupon...

[rallypanam]

Originally Posted by jage

It looks to me like the springs are just sitting on those aluminum bump stops, which is bad for a number of reasons- first off if they ever hit, it's bolt to bolt, second the springs are just flopping around, thus the limiting straps taking the place of a properly anchored spring. Third I guess even if you fixed the bolts you'd have metal on metal if you ever bottomed out. The whole thing just seems a lot like the understanding of suspension just stopped at the spring. Otherwise it's nice, but I think that design could use some work, and of course once you load it up those springs are probably going to be bottomed out anyway.

I'd swap those springs out for airbags, and if not that get some dana 30 parts from a coil Jeep (TJ, XJ, MJ) and basically use from the bumpstop to the coil bucket. At the very least add some soft bumpstops to one end and lose the other bolt head. Better yet, chop the one you're not using for the bumpstop to 1/4 it's height and put a spring clip on to hold the base.

Or you could give the whole thing to me- I have the airbags that I'm saving for my trailer build, but yours is much much nicer in every other way!

Yes, as previously mentioned the coil mounts are interesting. Not ideal, but I want to figure out the weight of this thing before I start mucking around. My intent was to need to swap springs. Definitely needs bumpstop somewhere...

I had not thought about airbags (largely because I don't like them).. but maybe they are the right solution here. Where do I find something that would have 8-12" of travel, are adjustable, and I could mount easily? I do have two roughly 6"x6" flat plates to mount between, so that could be easy.

[rallypanam]

Originally Posted by REF

Robb, nice project you've got there. I love our trailer I helped design and had built. While I don't know much about suspensions other than when they need a lot of money to get properly set up (thank you Quigley SMB's). I've got a 6500# solid axle under my trailer with leaf springs and shocks, pretty straight forward. I know nothing from nothing on that type of trailing arm suspension, and I certainly don't want to rain on your parade, but feel that Jage and others bring up a few good points. I'd find out what the original builders estimated final weight with his buildout was going to be, and then estimate yours, find out the rating of that spring/shock combo, see if it's burly enough, you'll be hauling some precious cargo. I too would look at that spring mount, if it bottoms out, you're metal on metal, might be as simple as adding a rubber bump stop on the frame. I've got some airbags I'm not using. Again, disclaimer-don't listen to me, I don't know jack and may be way off base. Also, not sure who you had those spacers made by, you prob already know of these guys....
http://wheeladapter.com
Good luck, looking forward to giving you some more unsolicited advice about stuff I know nothing about.......glad to be of service[emoji51]

Parade rainer!

[rallypanam]

Originally Posted by boywonder

Well, FWIW I am an engineer, and the angle of the shock is going to provide minimal damping, especially near the end of the stroke where the shock will be more horizontal. It may be the camera angle exaggerating things a bit. You may want to remove the spring and cycle the trailing arm up and down a few times to see how much usable shock travel you have, it doesn't look like much.

......that being said, I haul my motorcycles on a folding harbor freight trailer (that's at this point heavily modified); it doesn't have any shocks, just leaf springs....$239 with a coupon...

Engineer! I don't need no stinking engineer!

However, on your comment, I would sort of agree, the angle looks screwy on the shock. But, the angle also more or less matches all the Australian trailers with the same design. So, theoretically it works. But I guess we'll find out.

[BroncoHauler]

Originally Posted by rallypanam

Parade rainer!

We could use the rain!

[E350]

REF: Would you mind if I adopted this as one of my handles: "Giving unsolicited advice about stuff I know nothing about..."